Levo : 「勉強しすぎでお疲れ気味なんじゃない？」
= Benkou shisugi de otsukare gimi nanjanai?
= Aren’t you a little tired ’cause you studied too much?
Nao : 「無理しがちだから手を抜いてやればいいんだよ。」
= Muri shigachi dakara te wo nuite yareba iindayo.
= I know you tend to work too hard. You should just take it easy.
Hi, everyone!
Today’s guest teachers are these beautiful cats, Levo and Nao.
(Levo sensei has taught you here before!)
They both worry about you because you have been studying too hard and look a bit tired.
******
Hello! Levo here! I am back! Today I have my buddy, Nao.
We will teach you how to use がち ( = gachi) and 気味 ( = gimi).
Some of Maggie Sensei’s Twitter followers today asked what the difference between these two is.
They are similar, but there are some differences. Let’s take a look.
気味 = ぎみ=gimi
:n: How to form
＊Noun + 気味 ( = gimi)
*風邪 ( = kaze) cold + 気味 ( = gimi)
風邪気味 ( = kazegimi) having a slight cold
＊Verb + 気味 ( = gimi)
気味 ( = gimi) tends to be combined with non-volitional verbs.
1) First make the ます ( = masu) form
Ex. 太る= futoru = go gain weight, to get fat
太ります ( = futorimasu)
2) Next drop the ます( = masu) ending and replace it with 気味 ( = gimi).
太り( = futori) + 気味 ( = gimi)
So 太ります ( = futorimasu) becomes
太り気味 (= futorigimi) a bit overweight
:w: When to use:
Compared to ～がち ( = gachi), the words that you can use with 気味 ( = gimi) are limited.
It is mainly used to say that someone/something is in a slightly certain state/condition
少し～ ( = sukoshi) = A little ~ , a touch of ~
*風邪気味 = kaze gimi = having a slight cold
Ex. 少し風邪気味です。
= Sukoshi kazegimi desu.
= I have a slight cold.
*便秘気味 = benpigimi = having a touch of constipation
Ex. 便秘気味なのでヨーグルトを食べよう。
= Benpigimi nanode youguruto wo tabeyou.
= Since I have been having a touch of constipation, I am going to have some yogurt.
*興奮気味 = koufungimi = being somewhat excited
Ex. フナッシーに会ったと子供達は興奮気味だ。
= Funasshii ni atta to kodomotachi wa koufun gimida.
= Children were somewhat excited saying they got to see “Funasshii”.
*(Funasshii is a popular mascot character.)
⬇️
*焦り気味 = aserigimi= to feel somewhat pressed or hurried
Ex. 試験が近くなり少々焦り気味です。
= Shiken ga chikaku nari shoushou aserigimi desu.
= The exams are getting closer, and I feel a bit pressed.
*痩せ気味 = yasegimi= rather thin
Ex. 彼は痩せ気味だが大食い大会で優勝したらしい。
= Kare wa yasegimi daga ooguidaikai de yuushou shitarashii.
= He is rather thin, but I heard he won the competitive eating contest.
*緊張気味 = kinchougimi = feeling somewhat nervous
Ex. 新人社員は緊張気味に挨拶に来た。
= Shinjin shain wa kinchou gimi ni aisatu ni kita.
= The new employee came to greet me somewhat nervously.
Slang:
Some comedians have started to use this word and we hear it more and more often on TV.
*食い気味 = kuigimi = cutting off someone without waiting for them to finish talking
Ex. あの新人は食い気味に質問してくる。
= Ano shinjin wa kuigimi ni shitsumon shite kuru.
= The newcomer cuts me off and asks me questions without waiting for me to finish talking.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
⭐️ がち（勝ち）= gachi
＊Noun + がち ( = gachi)
Ex. 病気 ( = byouki) sickness + がち ( = gachi)
病気がち ( = byoukigachi) easily to get sick
☆Verb + がち ( = gachi)
1) make ます ( = masu) form
Ex. する ( = suru) to do
します ( = shimasu)
2) delete ます ( = masu) and add がち ( = gachi)
し ( = shi) + がち ( = gachi)
しがち ( = shigachi) tend to do ~
Note: がち ( = gachi) often used with volitional verbs.
⭐️ When to use:
to be apt to ~ / often get to ~ / to tend to ~ / to be inclined to ~
(It is usually used for something negative)
よく～ = yoku = frequently / often 〜
すぐ～ = sugu= easily 〜
しやすい = 〜shiyasui = to do something easily
することが多い = 〜suru koto ga ooi = to be apt to do (often/frequently)
*忘れがち = wasuregachi = to forget something easily, forgetful
Ex. 忙しいと大切なことを忘れがちになる。
= Isogashii to taisetu na koto wo wasuregachi ni naru.
= When you are busy, you are apt to forget something important.
*疲れがち = tsukaregachi = get tired easily
Ex. パソコンの使い過ぎで目が疲れがちです。
= Pasokon no tsukai sugi de mega tsukaregachi desu.
= I’m on the computer too much so my eyes tend to get tired.
*遅れがち = okuregachi = tend to be late
Ex. ラッシュアワーはバスが遅れがちだ。
= Rasshu awaa wa basu ga okuregachi da.
= The buses are apt to be late during the rush hour.
*考えがち = kangaegachi = to be apt to think
Ex. 夜は悪いことを考えがちなので明日の朝、また話し合おう。
= Yoru wa warui koto wo kangaegachi nanode asu no asa, mata hanashiaou.
= We are apt to think bad things at night so why don’t we talk about it tomorrow morning?
*～しがち = shigachi = tend to do~
*不足しがち = fusoku shigatchi = to be apt to be lack of something
Ex. カルシウムが不足しがちな人は牛乳を毎日飲んだほうがいい。
= Karushiumu ga fusoku shigachi na hito wa gyuunyuu wo mainichi nonda hou ga ii.
= People who are lack of calcium should drink milk every day.
*ミスしがち = misushigachi = to make a mistake easily
Ex. 食後は眠くなるのでミスしがちになる。
= Shokugo wa nemuku naru node misu shigachi ni naru.
= We get sleepier after having a meal and we are apt to make mistakes.
*ありがち = ari gachi = something really common
Ex. 日本人にありがちな英語のミス
= Nihonji ni arigachi na eigo no misu.
= Common English mistakes made by Japanese people.
*起こりがち = okorigachi = frequently happen
Ex. 雪の日は事故が起こりがちなので気をつけて下さい。
= Yuki no hi wa jiko ga okori gachi nanode ki wo tsukete kudasai.
= Be careful! The more accidents tend to happen on winter days.
*食べがち = tabegachi = tend to eat
Ex. 一人暮らしだとコンビニ弁当ばかり食べがちになる。
= Hitorigurashi dato konbini bentou bakari tabegachi ni naru.
= Since I live alone, I am apt to eat more boxed lunches from convenience stores.
*見えがち= miegachi = to tend to be seen
Ex. グレーの色の服は老けて見えがちになる。
= Gurei no iro no fuku wa fukete miegachi ni naru.
= Gray is likely to cause you to look older.
*なりがち= narigachi = to be apt to 〜 / to tend to 〜
Ex. 空腹時は機嫌が悪くなりがちだ。
= Kuufukuji wa kigen ga waruku narigachida.
= When I am hungry, I am apt to be in a bad mood.
*うぬぼれがち = unuboregachi = to be apt to be stuck up
Ex. 人は成功するとうぬぼれがちになる。
= Hito wa seikou suruto unubore gachi ni naru.
= People tend to be stuck up if they succeed.
*曇りがち = kumorigachi = tend to be cloudy
Ex. ずっと曇りがちの天気が続いている。
= Zutto kumorigachi no tenki ga tsuzuite iru.
= It has been cloudy for a long time.
*病気がち = byoukigachi = to often get sick
Ex.弟は子供の頃から病気がちだった。
= Otouto wa kodomo no koro kara byouki gachi datta.
= My younger brother has been prone to illness since he was a child.
*遠慮がち = enryogachi = being reserved, shyly, timidly
Ex. 彼は遠慮がちにドアの後ろに立っていた。
= Kare wa enryo gachi ni doa no ushiro ni tatte ita.
= He was standing behind the door modestly.
Now, let’s see the confusing ones.
*太り気味 ( = futorigimi) VS 太りがち ( = futorigachi)
気味 ( = kimi) means “slightly something” and it expresses the current state or condition.
So 太り気味 ( = futori gimi) means “(currently) slightly fat/ on the fat site”
がち ( = gachi) expresses some tendency. So this person is not necessarily fat now but he/she gains weight easily.
Ex. 1) 最近、太り気味だから気をつけなくてはいけない。
= Saikin, futori gimi dakara ki wo tsukenakutewa ikenai.
= I am on the fat side (I am kind of fat) now so I have to be careful.
Ex. 2) 最近、太りがちだから気をつけなくてはいけない。
= Saikin, futori gachi dakara ki wo tsukenakutewa ikenai.
= I’ve been putting on weight recently so I have to be careful.
****
* 疲れ気味 (= tsukaregimi) vs 疲れがち(= tsukaregachi)
疲れ気味 (= tsukare gimi) means “feeling a little tired (now)” and it describes one’s current condition.
疲れがち ( = tsukare gachi) is “to be apt to get tired” and you use it when you find yourself often getting tired easily.
Ex. 3) 疲れ気味だからビタミン剤が欲しい。
= Tsukaregimi dakara bitaminzai ga hoshii.
= I am feeling a bit tired lately so I want some vitamins.
Ex. 4) 最近、疲れがちなのでビタミン剤が欲しい。
= Saikin, tsukare gachi nanode bitamin zai ga hoshii.
= Recently I’ve been getting tired easily so I need some vitamins.
OK, that’s all for today.
レッスンを作っているとつい時間を忘れがちになります。
= Ressun wo tsukutte iru to tsui jikan wo wasuregachi ni narimasu.
= When I make lessons, I am apt to forget about time.
最近、睡眠不足気味なのでもう寝ますね。
= Saikin, suimin busoku gimi nanode mou nemasune.
= I haven’t been getting enough sleep so I will go to sleep now.
*********
マギー先生より= Maggie Sensei yori = From Maggie Sensei
Levo先生、Nao先生、ありがとう！
天使は楽だと思われがちですが、ちゃんとお仕事もしていますよ。
= Tenshi wa rakudato omowaregachi desuga, chanto oshigoto mo shiteimasuyo.
= You might think being an angel is easy, but I have been doing my work diligently.
***
Could you be my Patron?
I appreciate your support! サポートありがとう！
54 Comments
Hey Maggie先生!
I wondered if it is possible to combine がち with ねる
so something like “i tend to go to sleep at 9” (i am aware that this sentence might not be the most natural in Japanese but i wonder if it would work)
９時に寝るがちです
Hello Will
You don’t say 寝るがち but you can say 寝がち
９時に寝がち If you meant go to sleep, it works, but since you can’t tend to fall a sleep at nine, it may sound unnatural.
うちの犬は、仰向けで寝がちです。
My dog tends to sleep on its back.
Hi Maggie Sensei! I love your use of example sentences for teaching, I find it super helpful :)
One question: is it possible to attach がち to a negative verb/adjective ending? Like, in order to say things like “I don’t tend to forget people’s names,” could we say “人の名前を忘れないがち”？
If not, what could we say instead?
Thank you :)
Hello Matt,
You don’t use the negative form with がち so you don’t say X 忘れないがち
忘れがち = tend to forget people’s name
The opposite will be “tend to remember people’s name” but it sounds unnatural even in English because you are supposed to remember people’s name.
So you just say
人の名前をよく覚えている。
If it is the context such as “You tend to remember things (which you don’t need to remember/in the way you are not supposed to), you can use 覚えがち
Ex. 人の名前を間違って覚えがちだ。
I see, makes perfect sense. Thank you for the examples!
どういたしまして 🐶💕
You said gachi tends to be used with volitional verbs but wasureru and tsukareru are non volitional. Is that ok too?
Hi Valerio
Yes, you can say 疲れがち (疲れ気味 is more natural but you say 疲れがち in conversation as well
You also say 忘れがち. (忘れる is both 意志 and 無意志動詞）
Hello Maggie-sensei. Thank you for all of your lessons.
I have a question about the words used with 気味. In your lesson and other websites, it says that 気味 is used with a limited number of words about medical conditions (風邪気味 or 太り気味) and feelings (緊張気味 or 焦り気味).
However, I came across this sentence in a book I was reading: 「俺の話に被り気味に言った。」
Why doesn’t the author use ように instead of 気味 here? Is it because the author is trying to emphasize the speakers feelings? If you could explain why 気味 is used in this situation, it would be very helpful.
Thanks for always answering my questions quickly! I appreciate it a lot.
Hi J
You don’t say 被るように but I guess you can say (Someoneの話に）被せるように話す
~ように to do as/as if ~
気味に kind of / sort of
被り気味に+say something is kind of slangish and it is relatively new expression like 食い気味
You may see/hear this type of expressions in conversation.
時間が押し気味 Running out of time, etc.
Thank you for your quick and easy to understand response! I understand it a lot more now!
Good! :)
こんにちは先生。
久しぶりですね。 インドは、連休だったので、先生を忘れがちになりました。
緊張気味なときは、怒りがちになる恐れがあります。
南インドは、 ありがちな食べ物はイディリです。 大好きなので、毎日食べたりして、今、太りぎみです。
例文を直していただけますか。
宜しくお願いします。
こんにちは！
いっぱい、「がち」と「気味」を使えましたね。
インドは、連休だったので、先生を忘れがちになりました。
→人を忘れがちにするよりも例えば、日本語の勉強や宿題などを忘れがちの方がよく使われますよ。
ありがちな食べ物はイディリです。→口語的にはOK！ でももしイディリがtypical foodのことだったら「代表的な食べ物」の方を使います。
毎日食べたりして、→毎日食べているので
Hello Maggie Sensei!
I actually have another question about a sentence from the lesson above:
Ex. 一人暮らしだとコンビニ弁当ばかり食べがちになる。= Since I live alone, I am apt to eat more boxed lunches from convenience stores.
Could you comment on the meaning of と in this sentence? I checked your lesson ( = ~ to & ~ naito) but I’m still not sure about this sentence. As you know, even the English translation ‘since’ is a bit ambiguous as it can mean ‘starting from (time)’ or ‘because’. Thank you so much!
Hi Davide,
OK, と here indicates “condition”.
So think 一人暮らし as condition (under the condition of “living alone”)
一人暮らし is a noun so you add + だと (If you use a verb form 一人暮らしすると = If you live on your own）
一人暮らしだと
+ You write in the following sentence what is likely to happen/what happens/ what is happening
1) what is like
2) general idea what will happen
3) your guess, what is likely to happen
一人暮らしだとコンビニ弁当ばかり食べがちになる。
= Since I live alone, I am apt to eat more boxed lunches from convenience stores.
My translation here is for the speaker’s current feelings(1)
But if the writer is imagining how it will be if he/she lives alone, the translation is
If I live alone, I will eat more boxed lunches from convenience stores.
And if the writer is talking about the general idea,
If you (people in general) live alone, you are apt to eat ~
Sensei,
I didn’t know that と could be used for conditions that are real for the speaker at the moment of speaking, interesting! So if I understand correctly, when this person says 一人暮らしだとコンビニ弁当ばかり食べがちになる, he is already living alone, right?
I wish grammar books explained the ‘what is happening’ usage of と more in detail (I think they focus on the other usages). As always, your help really makes a difference. Thanks for taking the time to answer!
So if I understand correctly, when this person says 一人暮らしだとコンビニ弁当ばかり食べがちになる, he is already living alone, right?
→Yes, that is what I meant in my example sentence.
I translated the sentence with “since”, but the translation varies depending on the sentence.
一人暮らしだと寂しい could be “Living alone is lonely.”
一人暮らしだと寂しいんじゃない？ “Are you feeling lonely living alone?”
Hmmm, quite interesting.
And how much would the meaning be effected, if we change だと into は?
“AはB” also describes point 1) “what is like”.
一人暮らしだと寂しい vs 一人暮らしは寂しい.
@天人
It is hard to show your the difference with English translation because both could be translated “Living alone is lonely.”
As you know, AはB → A = B (definition)
一人暮らしは寂しい.
一人暮らし = 寂しい (talking about the quality of 一人暮らし）
It shows one’s stronger opinion.
一人暮らしだと寂しい It is based on the condition
If a person lives alone, it is lonely.
Or Since I am in the state of living alone, I am lonely.
“It shows one’s stronger opinion.” – that’s the key to understand the difference. Well done! Thanks Maggie!
U｡･ｪ･｡Uﾉ~ わんわん
ありがとうございます 先生。
どういたしまして💕
Hello Maggie sensei,
Great lesson again !!!!
I have a question。
Are all of the followings possible?
彼は緊張しぎみ。(by using V – delete masu + gimi)
彼は緊張気味です。（by using Noun + gimi)
And
彼は少し緊張している。
彼は少しの緊張です。
If all of them are possible,
What is the stand out thing of 気味 ?
Thanks Maggie sensei
Hi
Good questions.
緊張 you use a noun form so you don’t say 緊張しぎみ but you say 緊張気味（ぎみ）
But with がち you can say both 緊張しがち and 緊張がち
緊張している OK
少しの緊張です X Not natural
Hello Maggie sensei and thank you very much :)
How about the nuance of 緊張気味 and 彼は少し緊張している?
They sound the same to me….
But..is there any difference here?
They more or less mean the same.
“a little nervous”
You can also say 少し緊張気味 😉
Hi Sensei! I have a question
if Gachi is used primarily for negative things, then how can we say “to tend to ~ / to be inclined to ~” for something positive? (like to give an example if I wanted to say “I tend to like long series”, how should this be said? )
Hi Kira,
There is a word ~する／Verb dictionary form + 傾向（けいこう）がある but it sounds too formal for your example sentence.
You can say
どちらかというと〜の方が好きだ。
Thank you Sensei ^_^
Anytime! 😊
きっとわかるようになりました。どうも有難うございます。
よかった！
（I think you meant やっとわかるようになりました やっと = finally きっと for sure/probably: talking about future)
Thank you for this lesson! I find it easy to understand, especially your explanation for 気味. I do wonder why many books and websites give the meaning of 気味 as “tend to” / “seems like”.
@Yan
Yes, it could be translated “tend to” as well. I think I included that translation in the lesson as well.
Verb masu stem + がち= tend to do something
Hello Maggie. I’m a little confused by your reply. Yes, I read in the lesson that verb masu stem + がち = tend to do something. What I meant in my first comment is that many websites and books also translate verb masu stem + 気味 = tend to / seems like. That makes it difficult to understand the difference between がちand 気味. Do you mean in your reply that 気味 also means “tend to”?
@Yan
Sorry. I was just talking about がち not 気味. I didn’t read your question well and got confused why you asked me.. lol
I don’t know how other sites or book explain. It could be just a translation problem and certain cases, you may able to use “tend to! but when you describe the current condition “slightly/a bit ~” would fit better, I think.
このレッソンの説明は分かりやすくて、よかった
本当にありがとう! !happyface! !DANCING!
@メグナ
そう聞いてうれしいです！ありがとう、メグナ！
Hi,
Could someone please tell me what つい means in that example:
レッスンを作っているとつい時間を忘れがちになります。
Thank you very much Maggie sensei. Your lessons were too hard for me when I began learning Japanese, but now I really appreciate the numerous examples you provide.
Hello Vincent,
in this sentence つい implies unintentionality (pattern つい～がちになる tells us, that the action [= the tendency to forget about time] has been done unconsciously). It is good not to translate つい in this case. Let’s say that adds more emphasis to ～がちになる.
ヨロシク。
@Vincent
Hi Vincent,
I know my lessons can be really difficult for the beginners but I am glad you still come here.
つい means “without intention/ unconsciously / happen to do something,etc”
Or when you do something and get too involved and can’t control it.
When I make lessons, I am apt to forget about time. (I get too involved with making lessons and forget the truck of time and can’t control it.)
Ex.つい食べ過ぎる = I tend to eat too much. (Once I start to eat, I keep eating.I can’t control it. )
Hii~ I love this site, you’re so great!
Let me ask a question. How should I say ” Come to Hungary! I’m sure you would like my country.”
Thank you for your help in advance! ^.^
＠Fando
Hi Fando,
Thank you for visiting this site.
” Come to Hungary! I’m sure you would like my country.”
ハンガリーにぜひ来てください。きっと気に入ると思います。
= Hangarii ni zehi kite kudasai. Kitto kini iru to omoimasu.
(The next time, try to make a sentence in Japanese first so that I can help you.) :)
How come in the example in the introduction it’s 勉強し すぎで sugide and not 勉強し すぎてsugite?
As always, thanks for your help!!
@Jessica
Hello Jessica
~すぎる has two forms
1) verb + すぎる
勉強しすぎる
= Benkyou shisugiru
or
勉強をしすぎる
= benkyou wo shisugiru
→te-form
→勉強しすぎて
= bekyou shisugite
or
勉強をしすぎて
= benkyou wo shisugite
=Studied too much and…..
2) verb + すぎ＋だ／です
It is easier to think “(object の) verb + 過ぎ” is a noun, a state of overdoing something
勉強しすぎ
= studying too much
or
勉強のしすぎ(=benkyou no shisugi)
+で(a particle to indicate a cause)
勉強し過ぎで(=benkyyou shisugi de) /勉強のし過ぎで =( benkyou no shisugi de) = due to having studied too much
!happyface! Yeah, I’ve learnt two new Japanese grammar,today, thanks for the lesson, maggie-sensei !DANCING! maggie sensei wa sugokute atama ga ii inu da :)
@Bahasajepang
ありがとう！！I am happy to hear you learned something new here.
Ex. 空腹時は機嫌が悪くなりがちだ。
= Kuufukuji wa
[kinge]/ [kigen]ga waruku narigachida.
= When I am hungry, I am apt to be in a bad mood.
btw domou arigatou for this lesson :-D
@zoheb
Hello zoheb,
Thank you for spotting the typos. I fixed them.
有り難う！！
Ex.弟は子供の頃から病気がちだった。
= Otouto wa kodomo no koro kara byouki gachi datta.
= My younger brother has been prone to illness since [he was a
job] !to right! [he was a kid].
Oh, very good lesson! I don’t even have any questions about it.
@reid
Hi Reid!
Thank YOU for the first comment! :)